“Just a tenth, isn’t that a bit too little?” 

Xue Yuan’s words made everyone nod in agreement. “Yes, if Wen Ze hadn’t led us to save the whole pearwood forest, we wouldn’t even have a single one left.” 

“Exactly, we think you should give more.” 

Wen Ze paused for a moment, then gestured for them to stop. He turned to Bai Han and asked, “Tribe Leader Bai Han, how many years are you planning to give me the pears for?” 

Bai Han thought for a moment. “At least thirty years.” 

Thirty years! 

That’s a huge amount! The harvest every winter could be exchanged for supplies with several nearby tribes! 

Even if it was just one-tenth, he couldn’t finish it in an entire winter! 

Wen Ze had expected something like three to five years, but Bai Han had said thirty! 

He was stunned. “Thirty years?” 

Bai Han nodded seriously and explained, “Within thirty years, even if I am no longer the tribe leader of the Snow Sea Tribe, I can guarantee that I’ll send you pears every year.” 

So, he was sure they would keep sending pears for the next thirty years? 

Wen Ze was taken aback by this generous offer. 

Bai Han looked at him uncertainly and asked, “If thirty years isn’t enough, the two tribes can make an agreement…” 

“No, no, no, thirty years is more than enough. Who knows what will happen in thirty years?” Wen Ze said seriously. “So just one-tenth is fine, really.” 

Seeing Wen Ze’s firm stance, Xue Yuan tried again. “The pears shouldn’t count as part of the seeds. With our large territory, we should be able to find seeds that meet Wen Ze’s needs.” 

Ri Yan chimed in, “I agree with Xue Yuan. Let’s not focus on how many seeds we owe Wen Ze. From now on, any new seeds we find, we’ll send to him. If he’s satisfied, he can keep them.” 

Lin Sen, who had recently visited the South Mountain Tribe to deliver a message to Wen Ze, added, “And Wen Ze can come anytime he likes to look for seeds. He can explore any part of our territory. How does that sound?” 

Xue Yuan added. “That’s a great idea. I support it. Wen Ze will know exactly which seeds he wants.” 

Others nodded in agreement. “We agree too.” 

“But he can’t come alone, right? After all, he’s a half-beastman.” 

Hearing this, Bai Han said, “That’s easy to handle. When he comes to our territory, he can bring one Beastman with him.” 

Since Wen Ze was single, Bai Han didn’t say “partner.” 

Everyone nodded. “Alright! Let’s go with what the tribe leader said!” 

Bai Han smiled. “Good, it’s settled then.” 

His deep and friendly gaze fell on Wen Ze’s handsome face as he smiled. “Wen Ze, the Snow Sea Tribe will always welcome you.” 

Hearing that promise, Wen Ze was hit with a mix of emotions. 

He never expected that this trip to the Snow Sea Tribe would not only lead to an exchange with them but also help the tribe overcome the pest infestation, gain thirty years’ worth of pears, and even allow him to come back anytime in the future to search for seeds! 

Especially the last part, it was too tempting for Wen Ze to resist, and he couldn’t resist. 

He reached out his hand to Bai Han, who nodded seriously and responded, “Thank you.” 

Bai Han understood his gesture and raised his hand to shake his firmly. 

“It’s us who should be thanking you,” he said. Having a friend like you was a real blessing for the whole tribe. 

Wen Ze smiled widely. “Haha, let’s not thank each other so much!”

The people from the Snow Sea Tribe warmly urged Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu to stay for another night, but Wen Ze insisted on heading back to the South Mountain Tribe before it got dark. 

The tribe had just fired pottery for the second time yesterday, and the kiln might already be open by now. He was eager to check the results. 

Before leaving, Wen Ze reminded Bai Han, Xue Yuan, and the others: “The plant ash we scattered today might not be enough to kill all the little white insects. I’ve found the prickly balls with the old Beastmen of your tribe. Tomorrow, crush the prickly balls and thorn fruit into juice, dilute it with water, and pour it in all over the forest to see if it can prevent the little white insects from climbing the trees again.” 

Bai Han and the others took note seriously: “Okay, we understand.” 

Xue Yuan asked with concern, “What if we can’t stop the little white pest?” 

“Then come find me in the South Mountain Tribe. I’ll think of another way.” 

“Mm-hmm.” 

“If it works, let me know. You can send someone to tell me, especially since your tribe plans to send people to learn weaving. They can deliver the message.” 

“Got it. When should we send someone?” 

“As soon as possible,” Wen Ze said with a knowing wink. “I know you all want to learn quickly.” 

Everyone laughed in agreement. 

Once everything was arranged, the sun was almost setting. 

Wen Ze gathered his things and climbed onto the back of the giant white python and headed toward the South Mountain Tribe. 

Bai Han, along with the others from the tribe, escorted them for a considerable distance. 

*** 

Their return journey was swift. Just as it turned fully dark, they encountered some Beastmen on patrol from the South Mountain Tribe. 

This time, Wen Ze was in a good mood and greeted them first. “We’re back~” 

“Wen Ze, Zhuo Mu!” The two Beastmen changed into their beast forms and ran excitedly over, asking, “Why are you back so late? We were thinking of coming to the Snow Sea Tribe to find you!” 

Wen Ze became serious. “What’s going on? Did something happen in the tribe?” 

“It’s the pottery! We couldn’t wait any longer for you, so we opened the kiln in the evening!” 

“Oh? How did it go?” 

Zhuo Mu looked up and stared at the two Beastmen with interest. 

They ran while excitedly talking: “It’s amazing! I’ve never seen pottery like this before!” 

“It’s actually similar to the pottery from the Rainbow Sun Tribe, but ours is more special!” 

“Yes, yes, I like ours better!” 

“When we opened the kiln, everyone was shocked! They were all praising the Beast God’s blessing!” 

“Hahaha, our South Mountain Tribe’s pottery is going to be very popular this time!” 

The two people were talking so incoherently that Wen Ze couldn’t understand what they meant by “It’s similar to the Rainbow Sun Tribe, but even more special.” 

He was so curious that he decided to ask Zhuo Mu if they could check out the kiln. 

Zhuo Mu was interested as well and agreed without hesitation.

The group made their way to the kiln. As they arrived, Sang Hui and Wu Ye, who had received word, rushed over from the tribe. 

It was already dark, and while everyone could still see, they lit torches to get a clearer view. 

Wen Ze had rarely seen Sang Hui in such a joyful mood. He walked with big steps, full of energy. 

“Wen Ze, Zhuo Mu! Over here, hurry!” Sang Hui called, holding a torch and heading toward a pile of dry grass. 

Zhuo Mu, now in his human form, followed Wen Ze over and asked, “Are these the freshly fired pottery pieces?” 

Sang Hui smiled and said, “Yes!” He bent down, reached out, and swiftly uncovered the dry grass. 

Dozens of pottery pieces, ranging from large to small and neatly arranged, appeared before everyone! 

Wen Ze blinked, staring wide-eyed in shock. 

The colors of these pottery pieces… they were completely different from the ones they fired before! 

He bent down, picked up a “pickled vegetable jar,” and turned it around. 

Under the torchlight, the pottery displayed a beautiful blend of blue and red, like a mix of unevenly combined colors, glowing with a sparkling, unique radiance. 

Now Wen Ze understood why those two Beastmen had been so amazed. 

Was this pottery? No, this was a work of art! It’s so beautiful!!! 

Zhuo Mu, standing beside him, picked up a piece of pottery and examined it closely, his eyes full of admiration. 

Wen Ze held the jar and turned to look at Sang Hui and the others. They all had expressions on their faces that seemed to say, ‘It’s so impressive, right?’ 

“How did you do this? Did you use a new glaze?” Wen Ze asked. 

Sang Hui replied, “No, we used the same clay and glaze from our territory. The only difference is that we replaced the firewood with charcoal.” 

Wu Ye excitedly chimed in, “The charcoal was so hot when it was burning that we could feel it from outside. We thought the pottery would be better quality, but we didn’t expect the color to change too!” 

Bai Ling, who came with Sang Hui today, was even more excited and spoke while bouncing on his feet.

“Yes! The first time I saw these pottery pieces, I was immediately captivated! Before this, not even the Rainbow Sun Tribe had ever made such beautiful pottery! If you had returned earlier and seen them under the sun, they would have looked even more stunning! By the Beast God, I felt a chill of excitement at that moment!”

Ji Sha said, “Everyone in the tribe reacted just like Bai Ling. They were all in awe, not believing this was something we made.” 

Li Shui added, “Everyone stayed here for a long time, admiring the pottery before finally taking their pieces back. They kept praising it on the way!” 

Sang Hui looked at Wen Ze and smiled. “We don’t know why the pottery turned out like this. It’s such a pleasant surprise.” 

Wen Ze thought for a moment and said, “It’s probably because of the charcoal.” 

He guessed that when the charcoal burned, it released something that caused a chemical reaction with the clay and glaze. 

In the future, as they continue to adjust the pottery glaze, they might achieve even more new colors. It is truly something to look forward to. 

Sang Hui nodded. “We think so too. The charcoal has been amazing. Not only did it improve the quality of the pottery, but it also brought such beautiful colors!” 

Wen Ze was also very happy. He tapped the jar in his arms and carefully checked it inside and out before asking uncertainly: 

“Do you think this batch of pottery, besides the color, is pretty similar to what the Rainbow Sun Tribe makes?” 

Zhuo Mu answered, “Yes. But they’re much better than the first batch we made.” 

Wen Ze was stunned. In just two tries, they had caught up to the Rainbow Sun Tribe’s centuries of work? 

Seeing Wen Ze’s silence, Sang Hui thought he was dissatisfied and reassured him, “It’s already great. We’ll keep improving, and one day, we’ll make pottery that’s even better than what the Rainbow Sun Tribe has.” 

Wen Ze snapped out of it and shook his head with a smile. “I’m just amazed. I really didn’t expect charcoal to work this well.” 

Everyone laughed happily. “Haha, that’s right! Our pottery will definitely be more popular than the Rainbow Sun Tribe’s from now on!” 

“I’m so happy, for myself and for the tribe!” 

Li Shui patted Wen Ze’s shoulder and said sincerely, “Now we have our own kiln and have made beautiful pottery. In the future, we won’t have to exchange so many supplies with the Rainbow Sun Tribe anymore! Wen Ze, we owe it to you!” 

Bai Ling nodded seriously, his eyes shining. “Although I’ve said it many times, I want to say it once more. Wen Ze, thank you!” 

Wen Ze was just as happy and waved his hands. “No need to be so polite. 

Thinking about how, when he had first arrived, he treated the two pieces of pottery he had exchanged with the Rainbow Sun Tribe as family heirlooms, it now felt like a lifetime ago. 

“By the way,” Wen Ze pointed to the pile of pottery behind them, “whose pottery is that? Why hasn’t it been moved?” 

Sang Hui replied, “It’s yours!” 

Wen Ze froze. “Huh? Mine?” 

Wu Ye shrugged helplessly. “Yes! You helped us make charcoal, and now our pottery is ready. Shouldn’t we give you a share?” 

Sang Hui nodded. “Everyone agreed to give you three-tenths of what we made.” 

Wen Ze was both surprised and happy. “You’re too good to me!” 

Bai Ling shouted, “It’s because you’re great! You deserve it!” 

Wen Ze laughed until his eyes disappeared. “Hahaha, then I’ll have to trouble you all again. Could you all do me one more favor and help carry these back?” 

Wu Ye grinned. “No problem, that’s exactly why we’re here.” 

The beastmen split the pottery among themselves, then changed into their beast forms, carrying the half-beastmen on their backs as they marched toward Zhuo Mu’s cave. 

On the way, Wen Ze asked about today’s pottery firing process. 

When he found out the success rate was much higher than before, he finally relaxed. 

He was sure that these beautiful pieces would create a storm among the nearby tribes! 

Before long, they arrived at the open area outside the cave, and Yin He ran up eagerly. 

“Brother! Brother Zhuo Mu!” 

They gently set down the pottery. Then Sang Hui said to Wen Ze, “Over the past few days, we’ve checked the condition of the fields for you. The tomatoes have sprouted, and the scallions are growing well. We’ve also been lighting the fire every day with branches to smoke the salted meat at home and finished some other chores as well.” 

Wen Ze noticed that even the water jars were full and felt deeply touched. “Thank you so much.” 

“No need to thank us. It’s already late, so how about we help you with the meal? It would be nice to hear about what happened in the Snow Sea Tribe.” 

“Sure! Have you eaten?” 

“We’ve already eaten.” 

“It’s fine, you can try the dishes I made later! This time, I brought back two really great things from the Snow Sea Tribe!” 

Everyone was immediately filled with curiosity by Wen Ze’s words. 

The green radish was no surprise; after the feast yesterday, it conquered everyone’s stomachs in the Snow Sea Tribe, and today it was also praised by many in the South Mountain Tribe. 

At first, the garlic seemed unremarkable, but once stir-fried in oil, it not only released an amazing aroma but also greatly enhanced the flavor of the dishes! 

Wen Ze specially made a dish of “garlic lamb chops,” which Yin He devoured with excitement, as if he had never tasted meat in his life. 

“Brother, is this the taste of garlic? It’s so delicious! It’s even more fragrant than when you used scallions! I want to keep eating!” 

While speaking, he had already devoured an entire chop. 

Without bothering to wipe his mouth, he reached for another one and started eating enthusiastically. 

Looking at Zhuo Mu, he too was eating faster than before, clearly enjoying the dish. 

Sang Hui and the others only tasted a little, but they also didn’t hold back on the praise: 

“Wen Ze, you were right; the radish and garlic are indeed great ingredients!” 

“The radish is sweet and fresh, and the garlic, whether with the stems or mixed with meat, is so fragrant. It’s a fantastic seasoning!” 

Wen Ze continued eating as he said, “Right, and just like scallions, garlic also helps get rid of the fishy smell and enhances the flavor. Didn’t you notice that the lamb ribs have almost no gamey taste?”

Yin He’s eyes widened in realization: “Now that you mention it, you’re right!” 

Wen Ze chuckled, “You only noticed that after eating five chops!” 

As he savored the familiar garlic flavor, Wen Ze’s face relaxed in satisfaction. 

At the same time, he silently planned to plant the radishes and garlic the next morning.

Now that the scallions were growing well, they could go catch some river clams to stir-fry. Yin He had been mentioning it over and over. 

Maybe he should make some garlic-baked clams? The roasted garlic would smell amazing. 

Seeing how much they enjoyed the meal, Wu Ye couldn’t help but sigh: “With these two ingredients, the trip to the Snow Sea Tribe was definitely worth it!” 

Wen Ze replied, “Our gains aren’t just these.” 

Curious, everyone pressed him for more details. Wen Ze then shared how the Snow Sea Tribe had suffered an insect plague and how he helped them manage it, leaving everyone amazed. 

“…In the end, the Snow Sea Tribe promised me thirty years’ worth of pear, and I can bring one Beastman to their tribe anytime to collect seeds. In return, I’ll teach their people how to weave.” 

Sang Hui was very happy for them: “Not bad! The Snow Sea Tribe really knows how to show gratitude.” 

Bai Ling’s eyes sparkled: “Thirty years’ worth of pear? I’m so jealous! Wen Ze, can I come to you to exchange for some in the winter?” 

Wen Ze readily agreed, “Sure. That reminds me, Bai Ling, I have something I’m sure you’ll be interested in.” 

Bai Ling was confused, “For me? What’s that?” 

Wen Ze explained, “It’s something I remembered while I was in the Snow Sea Tribe. You had asked before if we could make more beautiful clothes, right? At that time, I only thought about changing the style of the clothes, but I forgot that fabric can be dyed.” 

Today, as he was painting blue indigo for the elderly Beastmen of the Snow Sea Tribe, he suddenly realized that indigo could be used for dyeing! 

He couldn’t help but laugh at himself; he had been so focused on seeds and farming that he’d forgotten such an important thing as dyeing. 

Besides indigo, there were plenty of stems, leaves, flowers, and even mushroom juices that could be used for dyeing. 

If they gathered them, they could try dyeing fabric. 

Of all the people present, Bai Ling loved beauty the most, so Wen Ze thought of him first. 

Sure enough, when Bai Ling heard this, he was stunned. 

It took several seconds before he shakily found his voice, “Dyeing? Is it what I think it is?” 

Wen Ze nodded, “Yes. When you’re working, you probably end up staining your hemp cloth sometimes, right? Some fruit juices are really hard to wash off.” 

Bai Ling responded quickly, “Yes, yes! Look at this yellow spot on my sleeve. I’ve tried washing it with soap several times, but it’s still there. I’ve been so worried about it.” 

Wen Ze grinned, “That’s dyeing.” 

Bai Ling gasped, “So, can I dye the hemp fabric red? Is that possible?” 

Wen Ze answered, “If we find the right dye, like flower juices, it should be possible.” 

Bai Ling rushed to find Sang Hui, “Father! Help me think! Are there any red flowers in the tribe? The more, the better! I’ll go pick them first thing tomorrow morning!” 

Sang Hui couldn’t do anything about him, so he smiled and shook his head, seriously thinking about it. 

It wasn’t just Bai Ling; all the half-beastmen and Beastmen were interested in dyeing too. 

After all, who wouldn’t want to add some color after wearing dull clothes for so long? 

After Wen Ze finished eating, they bombarded him with questions for a while, while Zuo Mu cleaned the dishes. 

Seeing that it was getting late, they repeatedly reminded Wen Ze about dyeing and left with anticipation 

Wen Ze, feeling a bit tired, moved his things into the cave and then went to take a bath. 

Summer was almost over, and the nights were getting colder. He had to mentally prepare himself before jumping into the river. 

While splashing water on himself, Wen Ze thought he should make a bath tub before the weather got colder. 

After a good sleep, he woke up to the “aroma” of pottery the next morning. 

His space wasn’t big enough, so the pottery was all stacked in the cave. 

Cuddled in a fur blanket, he carefully counted the pottery twice before happily getting up. 

Zhuo Mu and Yin He were already up—one was boiling water, and the other was milking cows. 

When Yin He saw him, he waved energetically, “Brother! How do we eat this milk?” 

“I still owe the Rainbow Sun Tribe some supplies. Let’s make yogurt.” 

Yin He eagerly replied, “Got it! I’m great at making yogurt now!” 

Wen Ze laughed, “Alright, I’ll leave it to you. I’m going to the fields for a bit.” 

Zhuo Mu asked, “Do you want me to come with you?” 

“No need, I’ll be back before breakfast.” 

Wen Ze grabbed some radishes, garlic, and his farming tools. 

In the early morning mist, he planted them, wiped his sweat, and took his black silver knife to chop some branches from the trees. 

Seeing that the tomato seedlings had already grown taller than his hand, he realized he needed to set up some support for them to climb. 

He was experienced with farming, and soon he had cut the tree trunks, removed the extra branches, and set them up straight next to the tomato seedlings. 

He also tied some branches above to make a simple “top” and secured the frame tightly with hemp rope. 

When finishing up, he heard footsteps behind him and recognized Zhuo Mu without needing to turn around. 

“Wen Ze, I’ll take over, you go back to eat.” Zhuo Mu’s deep, magnetic voice rang out as he took the hemp rope from Wen Ze’s hand and started tying knots like him. 

Wen Ze didn’t leave, “There’s just a little left, let’s finish it together and go back.” 

Zhuo Mu smiled gently, “Okay.” 

As the two of them walked back home under the warm morning sun, the muddy stone hoe was carried by Zhuo Mu, and the black silver knife hung from Wen Ze’s waist. 

Zhuo Mu turned to him and said, “The Snow Sea Tribe should arrive today. I’m going to hunt. Should I leave Yin He at home to help you?” 

The word “home” came out so naturally from him. 

Wen Ze smiled and replied, “You can take him with you. It’s just teaching ten or so people how to weave cloth. I can handle it on my own.” 

What Wen Ze didn’t expect was that, after breakfast, it wasn’t just the Snow Sea Tribe that arrived outside Zhuo Mu’s cave! 

Among the group, he saw Chi Yu and Huo Lan from the Rainbow Sun Tribe, as well as many unfamiliar Beastmen and Half-beastmen! 

Including Sang Hui, Wu Ye, and others who had come along out of concern, there were at least thirty people! 

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Wen Ze. 

He instinctively looked at Zhuo Mu and asked in confusion, “Who are all these people…?” 

Zhuo Mu calmly said, “Feathered Fierce Tribe, Wild Field Tribe, and Fierce Wind Tribe. Together with Rainbow Sun Tribe and Snow Sea Tribe, all the nearby tribes are here.” 

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